Side slipping weft detector for looms



March 18, 1952 L. AQCARRON ECTOR FOR LOOMS SIDE SLIPPING WEFT DET Filed Dec. 2

FIGQI INVENTOR LEON A. CARRON ATTORNEY Patented Mar. TS, 1952 Leon A. Carron, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 2, 1950, Serial No. 198,860

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in weft detecting mechanism for looms more particularly of the side slipping type and it is the general object of the invention to prevent the detector mechanism from giving false indications when it it moved incident to a weft replenishing operation.

A well-known type of weft replenishing loom employs a weft detector at the magazine or replenishing side thereof and makes provision for moving the weft detector forwardly at the time of weft replenishment to prevent the incoming bobbin from damaging the detector finger. When the weft detector is of the side slipping form 8:; ploying a pivoted carrier the latter due to its momentum is likely to swing and give a false indication when the detector is moved forwardly. It is an important object of the present invention to provide lock means normally positioned to prevent pivotal movement of the carrier but moved to unlocking position by the detector finger when the latter performs its detecting operation so that the lever can swing if the detector finger engages a bobbin depleted of weft. When the detector is moved incident to a weft replenishing operation however the lock means remains in normal position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the pivoted carrier for the detector finger with a movable lock member on the base of the detector to prevent improper swinging of the carrier lever, and, locate the detector finger on the carrier in such position that when the finger moves forwardly on a detecting beat it will first move the lock member on the carrier to unlocking position and thereafter swing the lever if the bobbin being detected is depleted of weft.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a conveni'ent embodiment of the invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a weft replenishing loom having the invention applied thereto, the lay and shuttle box being shown in cross section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section online 3--3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical section on line 5-5, Fig. 4, showing the movable lock member in two different positions,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the movable lock member,

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view showing the first step in the detecting operation when the detector finger engages a depleted supply of weft, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the second step wherein the detector finger, having unlocked thedetector lever, is able to swing the latter to indicate weft exhaustion.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l, the loom frame 5 supports a stand 2 on which a reserve bobbin magazine (not shown) may be pivoted;

Secured to the stand is a stud 3- on which.v is pivoted a transferrer arm or hammer 4 which is normally in the raised position shown in Fig. 1. Depending from the transferrer arm 4 are two legs 5 which carry the customary transferrer latch (not shown). One of the legs 5 has a lateral lug B for a purpose to be described. I

The weft detecting mechanism designated generally at D includes a base It! to which is fixed an upright stud II on which is pivoted a detector lever I2. Thedetector lever has a short arm I3 for operation of an electric switch I4 from which wires I5 and I6 lead to any approved form of loom control circuit not shown herein. The switch has a plunger I! which is normally depressed by the finger l3 to keep the switch open when the lever I2 is in the. non-indicating position shown in Fig. 2. The lever will ordinarily be kept in its non-indicating position by a torsion spring I8.

Slidable on the lever I2 is a detector finger 28 held normally in rearward position by a light coil spring 2I surrounding the forward part of the finger and exerting a rearward force on a shoulder 22 secured to the finger and normally engaging a stop 23 at the rear of the lever. The finger 20 may in effect be a wire shown specifically at 24 having a tip 25 secured to the rear end thereof for engagement of the surface of a bobbin B to determine the condition of its weft. The tip 25 when engaged by an ample supply of weft W' on the bobbin will be moved forwardly with respect to the lever I2 without rocking the latter, but when the supply of weft on the bobbin is depleted the tip 25 tends to move along the bobbin to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 to rock the lever l 2 and move the finger I3 away from the plunger I! to permit closure of switch It and effect indication of weft exhaustion.

The base I0 is bolted as at 39 to a member 3I which extends forwardly and is then bent upwardly as at 32 in front of the lug 6. A tension spring 33 connected between the upward extension 32 and a fixed stand 34 normally holds the base I0 and the member 3| in rearward position, to the right as shown in Fig. 1, but stretches to permit the base and the detector to be moved forwardly by the lug 6 when the transferrer arm rocks in a clockwise direction around stud 3 incident to a replenishing operation to renew the weft in the shuttle S in a shuttle box on the lay '36.

The stand 34 is bolted as at 40 to a support 4! which is fixed to the stud 3 and has a bearin 42 in which slides a guide rod 43 secured to an upright 44 on the member 3!. A second rod 45 secured to the stand 34 extends forwardly from the latter and has guiding relation with respect to the upper end of the upright 44. The rods provide a sliding mounting for. the detector D.

The matter thus far described of itself may be of usual construction, as shown for instance in prior Cederlund Patent No. 2,500,518, and except as indicated hereinafter forms no part of the present invention. When a weft replenishing operation occurs the base 1!] will be moved forwardly, to the left in Fig. 1, to remove the detector finger 29 from the path of the incoming bobbin (not shown). As the base reaches the end of its forward motion as the transferrer arm reaches its lowest position the detector lever because of its momentum and because of the fact that the greater part of its weight is located at one side of the stud I! will tend to turn in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 and thus cause closure of the switch M. This closure would give a false indication of weft exhaustion which is prevented by the present invention.

In carrying the invention into effect lock means is provided to prevent swinging of the lever l2 with respect to the base In incident to the forward motion of the detector by the transferrer arm. This lock means is designated generally at L and as shown herein comprises two members 5|] and 5|. The member is shown as a lug secured to the base [0 and extending upwardly therefrom forward of the lever l2, while the member 5! may be formed as a leaf spring shown more specifically at 52 and held to the top of lever l2 by a plate 53 held down against the Spring 52 by a screw 54 which is tapped as at 55 into the lever [2. The plate 53 has the effect of making the forward part of the spring, the right hand part as viewed in Fig. 3, more resistant to flexure than it would otherwise be. This plate. extends forwardly from screw 54 and can be longer or shorter than shown depending upon whether it is desired to have the spring more or less resistant to upward fiexure.

The forward end of the spring 52 has a down bent part the lower end of which is rounded as at El. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 part 60 lies in the path of forward movement of the finger wire 24, and is located at one side of the stop lug 50. Another part of the spring 52 is bent down and is behind the stop lug 50 in stopping or looking position when the spring is in the normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 5.

During a normal weft detecting operation the detector finger when in the full line position, Fig. '7, will engage the bobbin B as the shuttle S advances, or moves to the'left, Fig. 1, and will slide forwardly in the lever to the dotted line position, Fig. '7, sufficiently to raise the part 60 of the spring high enough to elevate the part 55 above the level of the stop lug 5|] to the dotted line position, Fig. 5. The lever I2 will then be free to rock. and if the supply of weft is depleted the tip 25 will slide, along the bobbin from the full line to the dotted line position, Fig. 8, and

effect closure of switch M as already described. On some pick subsequent to that on which the detector indicates weft exhaustion the transferrer arm will move the detector forwardly, but there will be no appreciable relative motion of the detector wire 2% forwardly with respect to the lever 2 under these conditions and the spring lock member 5i will remain in the down locking position shown in Fig. 3 to prevent sufficient rocking of the lever I2 to close switch l4 when the lever attempts because of its momentum to swing around stud l I.

It is to be understood that the lock means L set forth herein represents a convenient embodiment of the invention, but the parts need not necessarily be exactly as shown in order to effect normal locking of the lever and temporary unlocking by the detector finger when the latter slides with respect to the lever. It will also be apparent that although the principal purpose of the invention is to prevent a false indication when the base is moved forwardly by the transferrer arm, the invention will also be useful in preventing improper swinging of the lever l2 due to loom vibration.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth simple means by which the detector lever of a side slipping weft detector is normally locked against substantial rocking relative to base H) but is unlocked by action of the detector finger when the latter engages a surface or bobbin to be detected. The base is provided with a lug forming one stop member while the lever has the other lock member mounted thereon. In the present instance the lock member on the lever has been shown as a spring but the invention is not necessarily thus limited. The lug 50 on the base H) is at one side of the path of movement of the detector finger 29 and permits the latter to move forwardly sufficiently to lift the spring to an unlocking position. The lock means L comprises two parts normally in looking relation but movable relatively to each other to unlocking relation by movement of one of the parts by the detector finger. When the detector D is moved forwardly incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom and the lever [2 tends because of its momentum to rock and give a' false indication, such rocking will be prevented by the lock since the finger 20 under these conditions will not engage a bobbin and will not be moved forwardly to elevate the spring.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a side slipping detector mechanism for a weft bobbin, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base, a detector finger slidable on the lever when engaging a bobbin to detect the condition of weft thereon and causing angular motion of the lever when engaging a bobbin de pleted of weft, provided the lever is free to turn relative to the base, loci: means normally in position to prevent angular motion of the lever relative to the base but moved to non-locking position relative to the lever by the finger when the latter slides on the base, and means indicating weft exhaustion when the. lever moves angularly relative to the base.

2. In a side slipping weft detector foria loom ii having a surface to be detected, a base, a tietector lever pivoted on the base, lock means normally in position to prevent angular movement of the lever relative to said base a weft detector finger slidable on the lever when engaging said surface and effective when thus sliding to move the lock means to unlocking position with respect to the lever, whereupon the finger is effective to rock the lever relatively to the base, provided said surface is depleted of weft, and means caused to indicate weft exhaustion by the lever when the latter is rocked by the finger relatively to the base.

3. In a side slipping weft detector for a loom having a surface to be detected, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to said base, lock means normally in position to prevent rocking of said lever, and a side slipping detector finger slidable on the lever when detecting the condition of weft on said surface and moving the lock means to non-locking position relative to the lever, said finger thereafter effective, provided said surface is depleted of weft, to cause rocking of said lever.

4. In a side slipping weft detector for a bobbin, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to said base, lock means normally in position to prevent rocking of said lever, and a side slipping detector finger on the lever which when engaging a bobbin depleted of Weft first moves relatively to the lever and moves the lock means to unlocking position and then slides along the depleted bobbin to effect rocking of the lever relative to said base.

5. In a side slipping weft detector for a bobbin, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to said base, a stop on the base, a spring lock member on the lever normally in position to engage said stop and prevent angular motion of the lever relative to the base, and a side slipping detector finger on the lever which when engaging a bobbin depleted of weft first moves relatively to the lever and moves the lock member out of engaging position relative to the stop and then slides along the depleted bobbin and rocks the lever relatively to the base.

6. In a bobbin side slipping weft detector for a bobbin, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to said base, a stop member on the base, a lock member on the lever normally positioned to engage the stop member to prevent rocking of the lever, and a side slipping detector finger on the lever which when engaging a bobbin depleted of weft first moves one of said members out of engaging position relative to the other member and then slides along the depleted bobbin and rocks the lever relatively to said base.

7. In a bobbin side slipping weft detector for a bobbin, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to said base, a stop lug fixed to the base, a lock member on the lever movable relatively thereto and normally in stopping position to engage said stop lug and prevent rooking of said lever, and a side slipping detector finger on the lever which when engaging a bobbin depleted of weft first moves the lock member out of stopping position relatively to the stop lug and then slides along the depleted bobbin and rocks the lever relatively to said base.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 wherein said lock member comprises a leaf spring secured to said lever and has a part thereof in position to be moved by said linger.

9. In a bobbin side slipping weft detector for a bobbin, a base, a detector lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to said base, a stop lug fixed to the base, a lock member on the lever having a part thereof normally in stopping position relative to said stop to prevent rocking of the lever relative to said base, a side slipping detector finger on the lever which when engaging a bobbin depleted of weft has a movement relative to the lever, and another part on said stop member in position to be moved by the finger when the latter has said movement and effective when thus moved by the finger to move the first named part of the lock member out of stopping position relative to said stop, said finger thereupon sliding along the depleted bobbin and effecting rocking of the lever relative to said base.

10. In a side slipping weft detector for a weft replenishing loom having a bobbin to be detected, a base which has a bodily movement incident to a weft replenishing operation of a loom, an indicating lever pivoted on said base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when rocking relatively to the base and tending to rock relative to said base incident to said bodily movement of the latter, lock means normally in position to prevent rocking of the lever incident to said bodily movement, and a side slipping detector finger on the lever moved relatively to the lever by a bobbin the weft condition of which is being detected by the finger, the finger when thus moved moving the lock means out of locking position relative to the lever and preventing rocking of the latter when engaging an ample supply of weft on the bobbin but slipping laterally along the bobbin when the latter is depleted of weft and causing rocking of the lever relative to said base to indicate weft exhaustion.

11. In a side slipping weft detector mechanism for a bobbin of a weft replenishing loom, a base mounted for movement relative to the loom, at detecting lever pivoted on the base capable of indicating weft exhaustion when moving angularly relatively to the base, means causing movement of said baseincident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom and tending to cause angular movement of the lever relative to said base due to said movement of the latter, lock means normally in locking position to prevent angular movement of the lever relative to said base and effective to prevent the lever from giving a false indication of weft exhaustion due to said movement of said base, and a detector finger movable on said lever and moved relative to the latter by a bobbin the weft condition of which is being detected to move said lock means out of locking position and thereafter effect angular movement of the lever relative to the base if the bobbin is depleted of weft.

LEON A. CARBON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Carron Feb. 27, 1951 Number 

